Work on Fort Wayne’s Three Rivers Protection and Overflow Reduction Tunnel is officially underway.
“The fact now that we’re in a position to provide a service that not a lot of cities are in a position to do, I think speaks volumes for us as a community,” Mayor Tom Henry said.
“What we’re doing today is not only a real tremendous part of the history of Fort Wayne as far as stepping up and realizing what the future is all about, but also recognizing all of those who made this happen.” Construction is expected to take about four years and is being done by S.A. Healy and Salini Impregilo, a joint venture that has done similar projects in more than 50 countries worldwide.
That’s a reduction, on average, of more than 850 billion gallons per year, said Matthew Wirtz, deputy director of City Utilities.
The project will directly affect 30 neighborhoods and nearly 45,000 residents who live near the rivers by reducing basement backups and street flooding.
“Those are salaries that will be invested in our community.” Several Fort Wayne City Council members were also on hand Thursday to celebrate the project’s start.
Those present were Councilmen Paul Ensley, R-1st; Tom Didier, R-3rd; Geoff Paddock, D-5th; Michael Barranda, R-at large; and Tom Freistroffer, R-at large.
Former City Councilman Marty Bender, R-at large, was also present Thursday.
“I thank everyone here, especially our City Council who voted on this increase.
We’re going to have cleaner rivers that are going to help people access the rivers and enjoy the community and enjoy the essence of what we have.” Once the working shaft is finished, the tunnel boring machine, which will perform the excavation, will be delivered in June 2018.